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Pluto TV Review

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Pluto TV is a free live TV streaming service that provides more than 350 channels of live TV and thousands of on demand movies and TV shows.

Most of what you’ll find on Pluto TV qualifies as “background television.” It’s fine to keep on while you’re scrolling on your phone or cooking something in the kitchen.

Because these aren’t traditional live TV channels, it’s not a great option for live events, news, or sports, but it’s a solid choice for cord cutters who want to supplement their other services with some “comfort food” TV. You’ll find channels dedicated to “Star Trek,” “CSI,” “Jersey Shore,” “Survivor,” and “The Amazing Race.”

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Review

We tested Pluto TV and other subscription streaming services for more than 100 hours. Pluto TV is compatible with Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Roku, Android TV, iPhone/iPad, Android Phone/Tablet, Mac, Windows, PlayStation, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, and VIZIO Smart TV.


Content

TV Shows

On demand TV shows are essentially the same offered on Paramount-owned linear channels. If it aired on CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, or BET, there’s a chance you’ll find reruns on Pluto TV. You’ll see a lot of older shows like “The Nanny,” “Party of Five,” “Deal or No Deal,” “The Carol Burnett Show,” “Becker,” “Melrose Place,” “MacGyver,” and “Three’s Company.”

There’s also a ton of reality programming on demand, like “Survivor,” “Bridezillas,” “Four Weddings,” “Kitchen Nightmares,” “I Love New York,” “Fear Factor,” and “American Pickers.”

You’ll be able to watch some local news from CBS affiliates in markets like New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.

Movies

Pluto TV features movies from major studios that are available on demand or on their linear streaming channels.

While there is a fair amount of B-movie dreck, there are some gems available. As of this writing, Pluto TV offers on demand aces like “Titanic,” “Forrest Gump,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” “A League of Their Own,” “Anchorman,” and “Footloose.”

The service has dedicated live-streaming channels for action, comedy, drama, romance, documentary, westerns, and horror movies.

Kids

Pluto TV does have a decent selection of family movies and shows. Popular movies include “The Secret of NIMH,” “The Black Stallion,” “Ernest Goes to School,” and “A Turtle’s Tale.”

Cartoons include “Garfield Specials,” “Super Wings,” “Street Sharks,” and “Bananas in Pyjamas.”

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Compatible Devices

Pluto TV is compatible with these devices:

Pluto TV is not compatible with Xbox, Nintendo, or onn devices.

  • Amazon Fire TV
  • Apple TV
  • Google Chromecast
  • Roku
  • Android TV
  • iPhone/iPad
  • Android Phone/Tablet
  • Mac
  • Windows
  • PlayStation
  • LG Smart TV
  • Samsung Smart TV
  • Sony Smart TV
  • VIZIO Smart TV

  • Xbox
  • Nintendo
  • onn
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Channels

Pluto TV is great for fans of retro TV. Here are some shows that have their own dedicated 24/7 channels:

  • “Beverly Hills 90210”
  • “Nashville”
  • “Baywatch”
  • “Degrassi: The Next Generation”
  • “Star Trek: The Next Generation”
  • “The Dr. Oz Show”
  • “The Price is Right”
  • “Hell’s Kitchen”
  • “Survivor”
  • “The Amazing Race”
  • “Wings”
  • “Mystery Science Theater 3000”
  • “Happy Days”
  • “Family Ties”
  • “Dr. Who”

Other channels rotate around a specific theme. TV Land Sitcoms shows a selection of classic comedies, MTV Dating rotates through reruns of all that channel’s dating shows, and Nosey shows daytime tabloid TV.

Local Channels

Pluto TV offers limited local coverage in the form of its CBSN channels. It has a channel for 10 different regions:

  • Bay Area
  • Boston
  • Chicago
  • Dallas-Fort Worth
  • Denver
  • Los Angeles
  • Minnesota
  • New York
  • Philadelphia
  • Pittsburgh

Top Cable Channels

Pluto TV does offer some variations of top cable channels, but they’re often watered-down versions of the real thing. Its CNN channel offers a few headlines, but not as much coverage as the real thing. Stations like Sky News, Bloomberg Television, and NBC News Now are as close as you’ll come to the feel of a traditional live cable channel.


Sports Channels

Pluto TV does have several sports channels, but they are mostly filled with recaps or documentaries. There are dedicated channels for MLB, NFL, PGA, and MLS.

College Sports

There are channels dedicated to the PAC 12 and Big Sky conferences.

Other Sports Channels

Pluto TV has a lot of channels dedicated to fighting sports like boxing or MMA. It does televise live Bellator MMA matches.



Tech Specs

Stereo Sound

Stereo Sound

Content has stereo audio.

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Ben Bowman was the Content Director of The Streamable. He cut the cord in 2009. He roots for all Detroit sports and is a fan of Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Edgar Wright, Paul Thomas Anderson, Billy Wilder, Buster Keaton, and the Coen Brothers. Ben streams on an Apple TV.

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